I know today’s kids have so many more advantages (especially in the realm of technology) that my generation won’t be able to experience the same way. I know they’ll be more accepting and just different than us. However, there definitely are a few things that they will miss out on; while this list could probably go on forever and send us all into a deep pit of nostalgia, I thought it best to pick just a few:
1. Handwriting notes
Essay Dune
As someone who spent hours a day for years handwriting notes in school, I find it hard to believe that by the time today’s kids are my age, all of their notes will probably be digitized. I hope they make kids write some of their notes up to a certain age, at least; cramped hands build character.
What’s worse, today’s kids won’t even be learning cursive anymore! I can still remember learning to write cursive, and it made me feel so grown up. It makes me sad that kids won’t be able to experience that.
2. Rewinding VHS tapes
When you wanted to watch a movie back in the early 2000s, half of battle was making sure that the VHS tape was rewinded. If it wasn’t, then you would half of what felt like eternity rewinding it back to the beginning. The struggle was real.
3. Going to a video store to rent a movie
Speaking of movies, how many of today’s kids are ever going to walk into a Family Video, Blockbuster, or Hollywood Video? Little to none, because only one of those three places still exists. The ever-increasing popularity of services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime have almost made video stores completely obsolete because they have almost every movie imaginable ready to access instantly. I feel bad for today’s kids...walking up and down row after row of movies is an experience you just can’t get with Netflix.
4. Picking out a CD at the store
I know it's a tragedy, but honestly, who still listens to CDs anymore? Like video stores, CDs have practically been wiped out, though iTunes and YouTube are to blame for this one. I still remember my first CD; in fact, I actually still own it. It was Britney Spears’s “Oops, I Did It Again.” My older sister’s was Cher’s “Living Proof.” (We worshipped the queens from a young age.)
5. Watching a new episode of any kids’ show from “The Golden Age of Cartoons”
“Rugrats,” “Doug,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” and “Rocket Power” were just of the few amazing shows that my generation was able to grow up with. Nowadays, it seems like kids’ television isn’t nearly as good. For me, I’d take the original “Teen Titans” over “Teen Titans Go!” any day.
